Profiling SILT’s affordable, abundant nature-friendly farms.

SILT now protects 4 farms totaling nearly 300 acres across Iowa. They grow shiitake mushrooms, fresh vegetables, organic hay to get grass-fed animals through the winter. They give next generation farmers a chance to get into the game. They give their communities local, healthy, fresh food, jobs and a new way to look at the world.

Landowners can choose to protect their land by donating some or all of an acreage or farm, or placing a land protection agreement on their deed. Depending on location, SILT will protect parcels as little as 5 acres and as large as 500 or more.

On donated farms, SILT offers long-term leases that farmers can pass on to their children and grandchildren, so long as they want to farm the land sustainably. The farmers earn equity in the house, barns and business they can cash out when selling to the next farmer for that land.

On farms protected by land protection agreements, families retain ownership of their land. Future farmers have the opportunity to purchase the land at an estimated half of its value on the market, because it comes with sustainable food production requirements that SILT monitors and enforces for generations to come.

In 2017, SILT anticipates receiving its first donated agricultural conservation easements. Once these transactions are complete, we will be posting their stories. SILT does not expect its eased land to be changing hands in the near future, but we hope that someday young farmers will be able to search our site for affordable land opportunities of all kinds all across Iowa.

Interested in helping? Contact us today for information about donating land or easements, money or time to help build SILT. Thank you.

About SILT

The Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) is dedicated to protecting land to grow healthy food.